I’m going through my Instagram account. 2014 has been a wild year.
For those who care to follow my journey i’m at @pealower. And this is 2014 picture by picture, word for word.
1st is a photo of my sushi dinner at sushi yasuda with the family. My first raw fish of the year. It is one of the few times I would eat with my mother in law, my parents, my sister and Remy. We ate and laughed like we were one big happy family. Who knew that less than one year ago my mother in law sat turned away from my first dance with my father at my wedding.
2nd is a photo of my wedding day. Me with my Remy. It was a magical night. With the exception of the drama with my mother in law, it was magical. I remember the canoes that bobbed around on the ocean, the paddle boarder that casually came into our view, the sun that was so warm and bright, pastor richard’s hawaiian chant, his speech about ohana, and the ‘somewhere over the rainbow song’ on the ukulele.
3rd is a photo from create arts center. My sister invited me and Remy for a night of booze and painting. We don’t drink; but we painted.
4th is a photo from the lunch right after my baptism. I was as happy as happy can be. I don’t remember what I was clapping at. I looked like I was having the time of my life.
5th is a photo of my side table. It has flowers and plants from our loved ones. The germini daisy from my mother in law, tulips from larenta, and the mini carnations from my church friend Vivian. The backdrop is a signature board from our wedding. Covered in all the good wishes from family and friends.
6th is a photo from our outing at Brooklyn Botanic Garden where we saw cherry blossoms at its peak. It was march and I had just begun to venture outside my front door. I remember the discomfort I had walking up the small steps at the garden. I can now climb a full floor of stairs no problem. It’s amazing what 300 days can do to you.
7th is a photo of my ‘justin beiber’, the mexican fortune tree I got from my best friend. Her husband hauled it to dinner at aburiya kinnosuke. I approve of their relationship.
8th is another photo of the cherry blossoms. They were all in bloom; bright pink and full. I remember Remy exclaiming that he is not used to seeing cherry blossoms so pink. He said that in Japan, most of the blossoms were white or light pink. Who knew the US would be more hot pink than Japan, the land of hello kitty.
9th is a photo of my salad lunch from a joint in chelsea market. It was the first time I’ve seen my other best friend zoe in years. We had a falling out in 2008 but we’ve since reconnected.
10th is a photo of my soba dinner at sobaya in st. mark’s in NYC. I remember sitting at the bar with remy, the restaurant crowded with chinese tourists.
11th is a photo from figment on governors island. The exhibitions were pretty sad but it was a gorgeous day with my friend larenta. I remember the boat ride to governors island, where I spoke to her in detail about my health. We ended the day with Remy and I dropped her off in chelsea, where we went to grocery shop (our favorite past time) and larenta went back to home on the upper east side via foot, her favorite way to travel in the city.
12th is a photo of a necklace laced over a pineapple. I had started beeding and it was one of my first creations. The photo is a photo I later uploaded onto etsy, in a failed attempt to sell it.
13th is a photo of my feet on a green yoga mat. I started going to a light yoga class at Gilda. I was immensely proud of myself for having started yoga then. A couple of months ago I couldn’t have fathomed doing downward facing dog.
14th is a photo of myself at the crew store on fifth avenue in 2013. Pre-cancer. I had beautiful long hair. I was losing my hair in heaps. I never knew how much hair meant to me until that point.
15th is a photo of the roof at the venue for the broadway show cabaret with michelle williams. I don’t know how emma stone is but michelle was to die for.
16th is a photo of neymar on tv. It was the beginning of fifa world cup. Remy would be glued to the TV for 2 weeks.
17th is a photo of the tray for the check at hakata ton ton, one of Remy and my favorite restaurants in the city.
18th is a photo of the mosaic art I made at my art class at creative center.
19th is a photo of the lunch Remy and I had at legal seafoods in New Jersey. The food was decent; some of the mussels were rotten. I wouldn’t recommend it.
20th is a photo of the grand budapest hotel dvd Remy got me. It is, in my opinion, the best movie of 2014.
21st is a photo of my wrist. On it are six necklaces; all made by yours truly.
22nd is a photo of me, with my arms wide open, embracing the first day of summer, at buttermilk falls, just north of the city.
23rd is a photo of the google search engine, which paid homage to the japan v colombia, which would be the end of their fifa run for 2014.
24th is a photo of the rainbow of bracelets I made.
25th is a photo of this yorkie I saw at ABC carpet and home. He or she, stooped up on a bar stool, kept licking its nose. I think he or she might have been sensitive to the scent at that counter.
26th is a photo of all my beads, neatly organized in individual plastic containers. I had so much fun organizing; perhaps more fun than the beading itself.
27th is a photo of my ‘justin beiber’ plan blossoming, his leaves green as can be. He looks regal.
28th is a photo of my diy american flags in anticipation of Remy’s mom’s fourth of july party. Again, I had more fun with the preparation than I did at the party.
29th is a photo of some cookies I had decorated with the home made flags.
30th is a photo of the sky I took at my sister’s apartment. We had gotten into an argument just moments earlier and I was wishing I was somewhere else.
31st is a photo of some maryland blue crab drenched in spices from our road trip down to duke to see an oncologist. I would later develop some disturbing rash on my face from the crabbies.
32nd is a photo the entrance at chinatown in dc. It was on the same road trip down to duke to see the oncologist.
33rd is a photo of the menu at pho 75, a vietnamese place we saw on anthony bourdain in philadelphia. It is one of the worst phos I’ve ever had in my life. Just goes to show, can’t trust anything you see on tv.
34th is a photo of the fish filet in chili oil from han dynasty in NYC. It is a philly import. It is some good fish. We waited for close to 45 minutes for a table. I spoke to the hostess in mandarin, something I think everyone who speaks a second language should do when communicating with your fellow comrade.
35th is a photo of the red roses Remy surprised me with. Remy rarely buys me flower. I rarely hint to him that I want flowers. I did tell him that any woman who tells her significant other that she doesn’t like flowers is a liar. Who doesn’t want to feel loved? What better way than with flowers?
36th is a photo from cancer care’s office on the 16th floor of a high rise on 6th avenue. It is a photo of downtown manhattan. There are an overcast that day which made the picture even more magnificent.
37th is a photo from our flight to durham, NC. It would be my first trip of the year. It was an uneventful flight, just shy of 2 hours. The uneventfulness made it eventful. Now we know I can fly. Let the summer trips begin!
38th is a photo at my favorite sushi joint in NYC, the infamous sushi yasuda. It is so delicious; a must try if you’re in town.
39th is a photo of me with my arm up in a soldier’s salute at warbyparker. The brooklyn-born store has this photo booth, with three backdrop changes, for customers to play with free of charge. Let’s make it another must try when you’re in town.
40th is a photo of the audience at cirque du soleil’s performance of varekai at the barclay’s center. It is the first time i’ve been to the new stadium.
41st is a photo of a sushi dinner from sushi yasaka, a new restaurant discovery. The restaurant itself is not new; it is just a new restaurant to Remy and I. We don’t normally venture out west of 6th avenue. We drive almost everywhere we go but we seldom see the need to trek that far. My Gunilla took us to sushi yasaka one time and we were hooked to the quality and the price; again, a must try if you’re in town.
42nd is a photo of a maltese we saw at beacon’s closet. Remy and I brought some clothes to beacon’s closet for sale. Unfortunately the store didn’t find anything I brought interesting, not even my marc jacobs shoes. They were not in season, the clerk said, they were looking for winter shoes not sandals.
43rd is a photo of the sky. I was in the car on our drive back from brooklyn. You could see the sun peaking through one of the clouds. I spend allot of time, thoughts wandering, when Remy is driving. He is almost always caught up with what’s going on with the road, rightfully so. I stare blankly out the window.
44th is a photo of Zooey, Gunilla’s temporary roommate. She was cat sitting for her friend. Zooey didn’t jump on Gunilla’s guests. She would stare at Remy and me and responded only to Gunilla in a respectful way. Almost giving us space. She is the most well behaved cat I’ve ever encountered.
45th is a photo of the moon from our street. It was the night of the super moon. Remy and I walked out, after dinner, to get a glimpse of what newscasters said was a must see of 2014. So we did.
46th is a photo of the ordering sheet from Neptune Oyster in Boston. It would be the beginning of many many trips we’d take to boston for my clinical trial. The temodar I had been taking for close to 7 months had stopped working. I was developing new symptoms and my pregnant oncologist had removed me from the drug. She advised me to look for other options. So I ended up at Dana-Farber.
47th is a photo of the lunch plate at roddee in Boston. It is a thai place in brookline; a mom-and-pop shop Remy frequented while he was in college. He’s never ordered anything else. It’s always been spicy chicken and basil. And so this photo is.
48th is a photo of me, Remy and my dad. We were at the lookout just before diamond head on the way to kailua. It was a couple days after our wedding, which took place in Honolulu. We were on our way to drop my parents off to the airport so they can go back to Taiwan. We didn’t have enough time to sight see with them so our brief drive was meant to be for their quick tour of the island.
49th is a photo of the wallpaper at Ivan’s Ramen shop on the lower east side. Now this is not a joint that I would list as a must go. It is not bad food. It’s just not the type of ramen that Remy and I prefer. They do have nice decor.
50th is a photo of a picture at colonnade hotel in Boston. It is our second or third stay in Boston for my treatment. The hampton inn that offers medical rate ran out of rooms. Remy decided last minute for us to stay at the colonnade. I had just confronted the concierge over the absurd wait they put us through, after having been told we booked the rooms late.
chewy goes to new york 
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